Rainbows
by lizzy74656
Summary: What makes a rainbow? Why is the answer to this question important to Voyager's crew? Find the answer to this and why picking up passing passengers can be dangerous in the Delta Quadrant.
1. Rain

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Star Trek Voyager all rights belong to Paramount/CBS, I just play with them sometimes. Nor do I make any money from this storytelling, I enjoy sharing what I write.

**Rainbows**

Chapter One – Rain!

August 2012

The verdant forest around him smelt fresh and earthy, having just endured a gentle downpour of rain; drops still clung to the broadleaf foliage, whilst a fitful sun shone above the lush canopy as he walked. How he'd come to this place he did not know or even where he was, as the trees were of an unfamiliar species to him and yet he felt safe and at ease with his current surroundings. Taking stock of his location he also noticed that he was clad only in the attire of his youth, when he'd dwelt with his tribe and roamed the forests around his home village with his mates; his current locale was not his home and yet he felt that it was and he was safe here. Just why he needed to be safe he did not know only that he **needed** to be and to stay safe.

He again breathed deeply of the rain washed air, filling his lungs with the natural woody scents. A stream gurgled near-by thus he went towards the watery sound; yet as he approached it something about it felt wrong. He stood there on its earthy banks and watched the water and how it flowed or rather how it didn't, thus he knew it wasn't safe. He moved away from the stream and found a puddle in the rain washed rocks and drank his fill from that, tasting the elements within its coolness, staking some of his thirst. Silently he moved through the forest on bare feet noting what creatures inhabited this world with him; although he did not always see or hear them he knew they were there protecting him keeping him safe.

He again tried to understand and solve this puzzle, yet it didn't hold his attention for long as he emerged into a small wild meadow. His dark eyes scanned the area and caught sight of a group of hinds grazing in the watery sunshine. All lifted their heads and seemed to look at him, but he realised it wasn't him that interested them, but the majestic Stag who'd stepped out of the forest shadows a little down wind of him, that they watched with keen brown eyes. The animal was in his prime and beautiful to behold; deep liquid brown eyes surveyed the small group of hinds, some with young at their sides. His muscles rippled as he moved cautiously forward beneath his white hide, his antlers glinting in the sun.

_/The Hart!/ _his mind whispered, awed by the creature, who then stopped in his contemplation of the hinds and turned his head to look at him.

_/You are safe here/ _the Hart said softly. _/Do not question; just stay/ _was the soft warning effectively halting his unasked questions.

_/I understand/ _he acknowledged quietly and made a move to join the creature, but the Hart snorted and stamped a foreleg, causing the hinds to scatter back into the depths of the forest. Saddened by this abrupt turn of events he too left the wild meadow and returned to the coolness of the forest. The Hart watched standing stock still and then vanished.

Dark clouds gathered making it darker still beneath the lush forest canopy; a chill wind blew causing him to shiver and then the rain came. Strangely he welcomed it feeling it sting his exposed flesh as he walked between the trees, his feet silent on the forest floor. Where he was going he did not know only that he was safe here; sensing the closeness of the creatures that inhabited this forest with him.

=/\=

"What do you, mean that you can't find him?" the woman Captain demanded.

=/\=We've searched the entire area where we discovered his shuttle, but there is no sign of him or his passenger=/\= the male lieutenant reported over the com-link.

"Return to Voyager with the shuttle."

=/\=Acknowledged, Ayala out=/\=

Janeway sighed mentally and wondered why she'd gone against the expressed advice of her security chief and her own better judgement and let him take their alien guest back to his home planet alone.

"Where are you, Chakotay?" she asked quietly looking worriedly at the main viewscreen on Voyager's bridge, as they circled round the semi-arid world. A world that was home to an alien culture that had appeared friendly at first and their guest hadn't given them any reason to be suspicious of his intent. He'd only refused to be transported down to the planet surface, asking to be flown by shuttle instead; in fact he'd insisted on it as a mode of transportation, which should have given her cause for concern, yet she'd ignored the nagging doubts and now they'd lost her Executive Officer.

=/\=

Although he knew his own name, he did not use it here. Why he wasn't sure, until he recalled the boy – Jal-Karden. He smiled at the bittersweet memory wondering if the lad had reached his goal of dying in battle. The rain had eased and it was getting dark, thus he looked for a resting place to wait out the dark-time. A rocky outcrop loomed out of the darkness, but like the stream earlier something about it didn't feel right, so he moved in a different direction and found a wide spreading tree, its thick girth reminding him of an oak tree. He climbed into its lower thick branches and settled to await the moonrise.

The rustling sound of shaken wings reached his alert ears, thus he tried to pinpoint the sound; it was then that he saw it hanging upside down on a branch a few meters above him. Each watched the other until hunger forced the bat to fly away to hunt in the gathering dusk. He watched the stars above him, glimpsed one minute and lost the next. A full moon also appeared to scurry across the sky, backlighting the wind blown clouds or obscuring its shiny disc completely. He didn't feel tired just content to watch and listen to the moonrise sounds around him. One star in the wind tossed sky seemed to call to him yet he could not say why as it too scurried between the clouds. Soon the moon set allowing the sun to poke its nose over the distant horizon, colouring the dawn sky a soft pink.

Not long after the bat returned to her roost. The fact that she was alone didn't seem to bother the bat or him. Stretching his stiff limbs and letting the newly risen sun's warmth energise his body, he climbed down from his woody perch. Silently he thanked the bat for his resting place and returned to his walk in this lush forest, the sun lighting his chosen path.

An enticing smell caught his nose causing his stomach to rumble in sympathy reminding him that he needed to eat, yet he knew he was alone here in this forest with only the creatures of the wilds for company, thus he ignored the smell of cooking meat and brewing coffee, mingled with wood smoke. He came across a tangle of brambles loaded with fresh ripe berries. In among the sharp thorns he also saw a Blackbird, it assisted him in selecting the ripest berries thus assuring his hunger and staking his thirst. He also discovered the male's mate sitting on a nest; her brown eyes watched him pressing herself down into the tightly woven bowl. He smiled softly and only reached for the fruits her mate indicated.

_/Thank you/_ he said licking his fingers of the purple juices that stained them. The Blackbird flew to a higher branch and sang. At first it sang his song as territorial claimant, but then the tune changed speaking to his heart; no words like with the Hart yet he understood feeling the cloak of safety settle around him. He breathed deeply and returned to his walking; the sun climbing in the sky changed the angle that it lit the forest floor lighting his path. Other birds stirred in the rain soaked trees, a flurry of hidden wings sounded above him in the lush canopy, thus in a patch of sunlight he saw something. A branch shaken caused leafs to shed their rain water making a brief rainbow appear against the dark tree trunks. He smiled feeling pleased to see the seven coloured arch however briefly; sighing contentedly he moved onward.

=/\=

All sensors were working hard trained directly onto the semi-arid brown planet around which they orbited, searching for one human life sign. Janeway paced the command deck whilst her crew worked silently around her. Paris had thought to joke that at least he hadn't crashed the shuttle this time, but one look at her concerned face had let it die on his lips unuttered.

"Captain," spoke the quiet tones of the Vulcan.

"Something to report, Lieutenant Commander?"

"No," he responded firmly to her snapped challenge. "I suggest you get some rest, as the Doctor advised. Now Captain," his tone brooking no argument as he stood close to her.

Suddenly her whole body seem to visibly slump as if she'd been holding herself forcibly upright; she smiled tiredly at him.

"You're right," she said softly, adding that he had the bridge and left for her quarters. The collective sigh that echoed round the bridge at her departure, didn't go unheard as the turbo-lift doors closed behind her. She felt tears threaten at their unspoken concern for her and their missing First Officer – her friend, Chakotay.

=/\=

The chilled breeze alerted him to the fact that he was getting close to a large body of open water and sure enough through the widening trunks he could see the still lake ahead. Soon he stood on its shore gazing out across the wide sunlit expanse. A soft smile spread across his expressive face recognising the configuration of the further shore.

_/Lake George/_ he whispered, wondering if he'd see their boat sailing before the stiff breeze, but the watery expanse appeared empty with only the wind ruffling the sunny surface. Finding a large dry flat rock jutting out close to the water's edge, warmed by the early sun, but now shaded from the sun's midday heat, he sat down cross legged and soaked up the scene around him; Hearing the creatures busy in their daily activities within the forest behind him. These animals became visible when they came down to the water's edge to drink; one was a mother bear and her two boisterous cubs that came to fish. He smiled as he watched the cubs' antics, climbing trees that couldn't really bear their combined weight, thus they tumbled out of the young saplings; generally having fun in the sun dappled ground close to the lake shore. Mother bear ate her fill of any fish she caught before calling the cubs to have their share. She sniffed the wind as if scenting him, but the wind was towards him brushing past his cheeks and body as he sat watching feeling content and safe.

The bears moved away following the shoreline away from him. Other animals came, the hinds without the Hart appeared to drink their fill; having sniffed the air for danger; that was still pungent with the smell of bear and eaten fish. They gracefully stepped out, the older lead female cautiously testing the wind for any other hidden dangers, until she reached the waters edge and then staked her thirst. Soon the younger hinds joined her, delicate heads reflected in the semi-still waters as they drank.

The sharp call of an eagle had the hinds scurrying back into the depths of the cool forest, leaving behind an empty beach. He looked up to see the powerful bird riding the wind and air currents above the lake, white head glinting in the sunlight, as it soared on effortless wings in the pale blue sky. Over the further hills above the lake rain clouds gathered as he watched diverting his attention away from the eagle. He heard its cry again as the rain clouds obscured the hills making them misty as they disgorged their watery contents.

=/\=

Janeway woke with a start, wondering what had disturbed her fitful slumber.

"Kathryn," a voice called softly.

"Chakotay?" she asked puzzled, thus she left her bed and walked into the main area, which was dark, but then suddenly soft colours shone around her. Slowly they consolidated into a vibrant rainbow, that glowed for a moment before it vanished as suddenly as it had arrived and yet she still sensed his warm smile.

Again she woke; feeling confused for a moment sitting up in bed. Breathing deeply and closing her eyes she recalled the brief vivid dream. The warmth of his smile filled her, strangely leaving her at peace with herself. She left her bed and walked into the main area, calling for a quarter percent illumination and making for the replicator, intending to order her usual beverage but said instead:

"Computer one cup of tea, hot, single sweet," The mug appeared and she took a sip, deep in thought. It wasn't until she'd drunk most of it that she stopped.

"Computer why do I have tea instead of coffee?"

#You requested tea, hot, single sweet# it responded patiently.

"Isn't that usually Cmdr. Chakotay's choice?"

#Affirmative#

"Why would I order his choice?"

#Please clarify the request#

"Never mind," she said and continued to drink the tea, thinking deeply on all that had happened since arriving at this planet if not before, starting with the picking up their alien guest. Then she had a sudden thought and tapped her com-badge.

"Janeway to Astrometrics."

=/\=Kim here, Captain=/\=

"Have you tried any deeper scans of the planet surface?" she asked carefully.

"Not as yet, Captain," he said, sounding puzzled.

"Then I suggest you do," about to sign off when something occurred to her. "Start outside the normal search area around where we found the shuttle."

=/\=Aye, Captain=/\= he responded picking up on where her thoughts were going.

In Astrometrics, Kim, Seven and Icheb worked quietly within the area checking the original search area and then moved beyond it in ever increasing circles outwards. It was on the second circle out – about two days steady walking pace – from the shuttle that they found an underground settlement. All indications at first said it was abandoned, but some instinct kept them probing. Even on the Bridge at the main science console they also kept running through every type of scan analysis they could think of. Janeway returned to the area at this point and suggested doing some different scans. Although all were working none were really co-ordinating their efforts which each other or with other departments.

Down in engineering Torres found herself staring at the main warp core having just been somewhere else.

"Lieutenant; are you well?" asked the young Vulcan officer.

"What? Yes, Vorik; I'm fine, I think," she responded still feeling dazed.

"Would you like to describe where you have been?" he asked picking up on her confused facial expression and dazed eye movements.

"Rainbows," she whispered, again staring at the core that pulsed with its usual blue colours.

"Rainbows, Lieutenant?"

"What?" she snapped. Vorik watched as her dark eyes cleared of their confusion and she softly smiled, before tapping her com-badge.

"Torres to Doctor; what spectrum would you use to scan for someone walking the wheel?" she asked her tone excited.

=/\=Walking the Wheel?=/\= sounding puzzled. "Oh! A spirit walk you mean. Oh, I see! Heightened brain activity would be the most obvious coupled with lowered physical functions," the EMH said, working his own medical console. He closed the channel and called up stored medical data of the last time the Commander had taken a vision quest and cross referenced it to all the scans from the various departments across the ship.

=/\=

The rain once more stung his exposed flesh as it drove across the lake towards him and again he welcomed it, sitting on the exposed rock above the high water line. The wind blew stronger whipping up the surface of the lake and yet he still sat calm and unworried by the raging elements around him. He smiled softly to himself knowing he'd endured worse storms than the one that battered him at that moment. He also knew his continued safety and very existence depended on him staying part of the world he now inhabited and meeting the creatures that shared it with him. Why and for how long he'd ceased to question at this point in time or even why he was there and not in his usual place; wherever that was.

Closing his eyes against the stinging wind blown rain, he lifted his face, feeling the storm water wash his body; the cold did not appear to bother or affect him. The trees behind him strained against the growing wind storm, the lush branches thrashing wildly above his head, strewing the ground with broken twigs and leaves. Two otter heads popped up through the troubled surface of the lake close to his rocky perch, the wind whipped waves obscuring them from full view at times; carefully they swam ashore and joined him.

_/You need to keep warm. Come/_ the male otter said nudging his thigh. He felt the smaller female climb onto his lap and mew at him, her voice urgent, thus he stirred himself and slipped into their watery world, whilst the storm continued to rage above the lake surface.

He felt no fear as he followed their lead swimming with the same graceful ease and skill as the otters themselves. The three of them emerged near a river mouth and followed it inland for a while on the surface, the wind beginning to abate as they swam further up-river. On reaching a quiet side pool he hauled himself out of the water, eating the raw fish the otters gave him and then he trotted off into the forest again, the storm having blown itself out; the only wind blowing now just stirred the topmost branches. His body dried as he jogged, his muscles eagerly responding to the exercise, his gentle stride eating up the ground, warming his body with the energy he expended.

Soon another runner joined him, her silver white/grey pelt and musky scent a welcome and familiar sight and smell. They loped easily together their stride matched, but gently she slowed and he stayed with her. A wide spreading oak tree stood out within the canopy of trees, thus when they reached it, they curled up together at its base, her brindled fur keeping him warm as this time he slept.

=/\=

Paris joined the EMH in the medical labs to run a full analysis on the stored scans of Chakotay's vision quests, paying particular attention to the time when the sleeping aliens tried to takeover the ship. Although for the most part they worked in silence, only speaking when necessary to each other, cross referencing all their data with the new incoming data from the many random scans; Tom decided to ask one question that had been bothering him since the commander had disappeared.

"Why, Chakotay? I would have thought Janeway would have been the obvious choice."

"Indeed, Mr. Paris," the EMH acknowledged thoughtfully. "Did the Commander go willingly?" he asked after a moments thought on the matter.

"Yes, I think so," he confirmed puzzled.

"Mr. Paris, please run some internal scans of the ship, pay particular attention to those areas of the ship, that the Commander had been in during our journey here," he ordered, moving to the main scanner console in the centre of the labs. Tom frowned concerned, but did as he was asked; electronically asking his wife for the same information.

It was Vorik who picked up the pilot's message and ran the required scans. At first nothing unusual came up until they ran it through the same medical spectrum they were using to scan the planet.

"Doctor to Captain. Stop the scans **now**," the EMH ordered commandingly.

=/\=Doctor?=/\= she questioned.

"**Now**, Captain," he repeated firmly as he and Paris exchanged worried looks. Janeway gave the order ship wide; although puzzled everyone readily complied, noting the silent words on their console screens.

=/\=

Continued in Forty-five Degrees.


	2. Forty-five Degrees

**Discliamer: **see chapter one

**Rainbows**

Chapter Two – Forty-five degrees.

Paris and the EMH arrived on the Bridge soon after. The pilot took the helm and closed down all flight functions. The Doctor silently handed the Captain a PADD it had some of the same words as had been flashed around the ship – 'Say nothing.' Frowning puzzled she nodded her understanding wondering what the medic had discovered.

Kim returned to the Bridge with Seven and Icheb having closed down Astrometrics before leaving that section of the ship; he and Tuvok closed down all other functions across the ship, whilst down in engineering they switched everything to grey-mode, no-one saying a word as they worked, once all had completed their tasks, they stood away from their darken consoles.

The EMH moved from the command area to stand beside the pilot and tapped his shoulder. Thus Paris moved the ship using thrusters only to the required location above the planet. Once in place he locked the controls and joined the EMH and Captain in the command centre and waited.

Time seemed to pass slowly as they waited, and then the darkened Bridge became filled with soft colours which whirled around the area before consolidated into a vibrant rainbow. Janeway almost spoke in surprise as the seven pulsing colours filled the bridge. In engineering the self same seven colours filled that area also, starting in the warp core, it arched up through the ship running through the bridge and out towards the planet. Why they waited and what for they did not really know, but wait they did silently with only the seven colours of the rainbow giving any light across the dark ship.

Neelix, Naomi and some others of the crew stood at the Mess Hall view ports and watched the rainbow arch down towards the planet as if seeking something.

#Connection is established. Awaiting confirmation# announced the computer into the heavy silence after a few minutes that felt more like an hour, Tom sighed softly in relief.

"Doctor?" Janeway questioned.

"I think it would be wise if I explain to the entire crew, please," he said gently.

"Mr. Tuvok, call the crew to attention," she ordered softly, not taking her eyes off the holo-medic.

"Crew are standing-by. Conference mode," the Vulcan added realising it might be necessary considering some of the information the Doctor had earlier sent to his console.

"Thank you," the EMH acknowledged to both commanding officers. "I have a question first. What elements make-up a rainbow?"

"Sun and rain," Janeway responded promptly and yet puzzled by it.

"Anything else?" he queried.

"Not that I can recall." Minutes ticked by as he waited, but she continued to frown at him perplexed. An exasperated sigh sounded from behind them.

"The sunlight must be at the specific angle of 45 degrees for the raindrops to become moving prisms that will split the visible light into the seven colours of the full light spectrum," said Seven with another audible sigh, as if she felt that Janeway should have known this fact without being told or prompted.

"Thank you," the Doctor said, his facial expression conveyed something that his tone and words did not and only Seven of nine picked up on it and stayed silent.

"What has this got to do with finding Cmdr. Chakotay?" Neelix asked through the open com-link.

"Everything. What other element is noted about rainbows?"

"A pot of gold," said Kim.

"Which end though?" someone asked.

"In this case, both," the Doctor responded. "When you picked up our alien passenger, how did he arrive on Voyager?"

"By shuttle with Neelix and myself," noted the Captain.

"And he left by the same method," said Icheb.

"He insisted on it," came their transporter Chief's voice.

"Indeed for the simple reason that the alien did not exist." Those words caused most to dispute that, yet the EMH remained quiet letting the hubbub wash over him. One voice spoke over the others making a pointed statement:

"He avoided sickbay if possible, even when I thought he looked a little pale and in need of the Doctor's assistance," noted Ayala.

"He didn't like being scanned either," said another voice.

"Once he'd been introduced to Cmdr. Chakotay, he was always with him and no-one else," said Tuvok, revealing something that most hadn't wanted to acknowledge before now.

"Why?"

"Because he – the alien – fed off a special type of neutral energy in order to keep a visibly physical and solid form," the EMH informed them. His words took a while to sink in.

"Would that explain why we can't pick up any humanoid life signs on the planet, including Chakotay's?" she calmly asked, hiding her alarm at the Doctor's news.

"Yes and no."

"Can someone explain this in plain English?" Paris smiled recognising the irate female voice and silently added 'or Klingon!' to her statement. The Chief engineer's tone had brought a smile to the Captain's worried features, moving to softly pace the command area.

"I asked Mr. Paris to do an internal scan of the ship paying particular attention to all the places Cmdr. Chakotay had been in. The results were very interesting and gave a partial explanation as to why the alien insisted on a shuttle ride to the planet surface."

"To keep hold of Uncle Chakotay!?" asked Naomi dismayed.

"Not exactly; so as not to reveal his true nature and – more importantly – to gain the Commander's trust in order to fully connect with Voyager." Silence reined, some were deeply puzzled, and others were clearly confused, by this new information.

"Voyager's data and energy is the alien's pot of gold," said Kim cautiously.

"He is right!" before anyone could countermand the young Ops manager's observation.

"Therefore our pot of gold is Chakotay."

"Yes; but he will have to come to us."

"How?!" a voice snapped.

"The rainbow," said Janeway eying the seven colours that filled the Bridge as well as recalling the rainbow that had filled her quarters in a dream.

=/\=

When he woke he sensed that he and his spirit guide were not alone. At first there was only one; then others appeared all non-corporate. The She Wolf snarled warningly especially as the first figure solidified into a Coyote – the trickster.

_/What do you want?/ _he demanded sitting close to the She Wolf his hand in her thick ruff holding her back from attacking the smaller Coyote.

_/Voyager/_ was the many voiced response.

_/Why?/_

_/Her energy will help us/_

_/How?/_ this time there was only silence to his question.

_/He is alone, why do we delay?/_

_/They have not fully scanned for him yet/_ their voices whispered through him, voices that he'd heard before, he realised, but had not understood; now he did.

_/We can not delay. He has already thwarted our attempts to persuade him/_ angry sounding and not seeming to care whether he heard or not.

_/We must be patient/_

_/PATIENT!/ _snapped one voice.

_/We wait for them to complete and co-ordinate their efforts to find him/_

_/The ship is not in the right place though/_

_/It will be. They will not leave him/_

He and the She Wolf shared a look with each other, knowing that this Coyote sounded too sure of himself, but then the trickster always did, even when things weren't exactly going his way, which often turned out to be his downfall, yet not always.

=/\=

"Doctor you said he will have to come to us. How, if we're not scanning for him? We should continue and return to our original orbit."

"Seven; if we do then the angle of 45 degrees will be right for them to reach their pot of gold," said Harry Kim softly.

"You mustn't think like a Borg drone in this matter," noted the EMH, his tone a little harsh.

"How have our scans been conducted?" Janeway asked stalling the heated exchange from escalating.

"Rather haphazardly," observed Icheb. "Which is rather unusual in itself," he added quietly.

"As if someone was trying to warn us!" Tom said puzzled by his own statement.

"Indeed," said the calm voice of the Vulcan.

"Has anyone else seen rainbows since Chakotay went missing?" Janeway asked. "I know I have and quite vividly too," all too aware of the colours that still bathed the bridge and most of the darkened ship.

"I saw one in the warp core," said Torres voice through the still open link.

"I believe I saw a flash of one briefly," said Seven puzzled.

"Interesting!"

"Tuvok?" the Captain questioned as her dark friend joined her and the EMH in the command area. Instead of answering her question he spoke to the holo-medic.

"You mentioned a special type of neutral energy. As far as I'm aware there are only two types of neutral energy; physical and mental."

"To you, yes; to Chakotay there is the spiritual."

"His animal spirit guides!" she exclaimed, smiling at the raised eyebrow of her Security Chief, it prompted her to continue. "He introduced me to mine near the start of our journey. Could they be our connection?" Janeway asked frowning, puzzled by her own explanation.

"Indeed, Captain. Question is how?"

"Mental imagery."

"Go on, Icheb," the EMH encouraged.

"Cmdr. Chakotay was explaining to me once that although some of his people have faith in vision quests not all achieve it successfully through the normal manner. Thus they develop a way of using strong mental images to assist them in receiving similar results to a full vision quest."

"Like lucid dreaming?!"

"Similar, Mr. Paris," the Doctor acknowledged his comment.

"Are you saying we have to **dream**?" queried Torres still sounding angry.

"Negative, Lieutenant. Have you experienced something other than rainbows?" the Vulcan asked, realising something of the significance of the fact that the three females of the main senior staff had experienced rainbows in some form.

"Yes. I'm not sure what, but I felt him close."

"Then I suggest you try again, Lieutenant."

"We are going to need Cmdr. Chakotay's help in finding his corporate form, before we can transport him aboard," the EMH added; about to add something else to his statement, when Vorik's voice informed them that their Chief was taking a 'Spirit Walk' of her own.

"I'll be down there soon to monitor her, Ensign."

"No need, Doctor. I will monitor her," Vorik assured him.

"How many will be required?"

"How many colours in a rainbow?" the dark Vulcan countered her question softly and moved to sit in the XO's command chair and advised her to sit in hers. The Vulcan closed his eyes and took up a deeply meditative pose; Janeway copied him, Seven likewise in her usual position – standing.

"Do you think this will work?"

"It has too, Mr. Paris, for all our sakes," the Doctor said worriedly and then gave soft orders for the rest of the crew.

=/\=

He heard the soft leathery wings stir before he sensed her. _/The Bat/_ he thought to himself and could clearly feel her strong angry presence. Without warning the large Bat swooped down and flew at the Coyote, screeching a warning in Klingon.

_/You coming, P'tak?/ _she threw back at him. He and the She Wolf stood and followed moving carefully through the forest. The shadowy figures seemed to scatter from before him for a while and then they pressed in closer once more.

_/Do not doubt/_ said a calm voice full of the wisdom of age and his kind. There sitting on a tree stump, almost looking as if part of the once living plant was a bird; it swivelled its head round and blinked at him. The feathered tufts on its head marked it as an Eagle Owl the most powerful of all the birds in spiritual law. _/Come/_ it said and spreading its wings, it flew ahead through the trees as they thinned. The Bat re-joined them having been harrying the grey shadows.

_/We are many. You are few or rather one/_ their tone angry.

_/Numbers is not the issue here. It is belief/_ the wise voice responded. The She Wolf rumbled in her throat agreeing with the sentiment spoken. The trees gave way to the shoreline of the lake; the Otters playing just off shore, tumbling about within the ruffled water. One was lying floating on its back a clam on its belly and a stone in its paws, this told him that these playful creatures were Sea Otters, thus the lake was sea fed, rather than river fed as he'd first thought. Would he find that wider shore?

_/Do not doubt/ _came the words, this time from three voices rather than one. The She Wolf nudged him forward to follow the shore. The bay where he stood had appeared enclosed, but as they walked it opened out to him. There fishing among the wave lapped shallows was the She Bear, her cubs playing in the Aspen trees near-by.

_/Come/_ she called having turned to look at him. The tone of voice made him smile, trying to picture her face. _/Don't/_ she growled warningly, thus he mentally cleared his mind and noted the storm clouds gathering on the distant horizon.

_/We will have what we want/_ whispered the grey shadows, dark with intent and menace.

Two Otters ran towards him, shaking off excess water from their fur.

_/You can not sleep now/_ they told him. _/Come/_ running in circles around him urging him onwards, skittering ahead, and disappearing into the surrounding undergrowth chattering all the while. The She Bear re-appeared closer to him calling to her cubs, her large bulk giving him courage and strength to keep going. Slowly the forest gave way to a semi open and rocky shoreline, the lake's further shore receding into the horizon on which the dark clouds continued to gather and threaten heavy rain. The Eagle Owl sat perched on a rocky outcrop ahead of him and the Bat flew out of the tall cleft that seemed to almost split the rock in two. His limbs were getting tired and felt heavy. Standing majestically within the shadows of the near-by Aspen trees, stood the Hart, its liquid brown eyes encouraging.

_/You are not alone/_ the Hart reminded him. Gentle raindrops caressed his face, refreshing his flagging spirits. The sun shone through the falling water creating a rainbow that settled just in front of the cleft shaped cave mouth. The Coyote appeared, tall and menacing, with others ranged behind it in the depth of the cave.

_/You can not enter here/_ it growled with many voices.

He closed his eyes, mentally gathering strength from those around him. Breathing deeply and opening his eyes he carefully stepped forward and although his own spirit guide was no longer visible he knew she was there along with the others. The urgent squeak of a Mouse came from near-by, running up his now trouser clad leg, she settled into his pocket pouch out of sight. It was then that he felt **her**, the most powerful of all the animal guides – the Black Panther and ranged close was the Bat, Eagle Owl, She Bear, Otters, Hart and the Blackbird could be heard singing in the forest behind him. Drawing strength and courage from them, he stepped forward again; only the Black Panther padded into the cave after him. Her powerful presence kept the Coyotes at bay, yet he knew one slip or doubt from him and they'd have to start again and that was not an option, as these beings were gaining strength from what had gone before.

=/\=

Aboard the waiting darkened rainbow lit ship the crew went about their business almost as usual; the EMH in command mode, stayed on the Bridge with Kim and Paris assisting him, as he monitored those in the spiritual guidance link. These ones rested eyes closed fixing firmly in mind a mental image of a specific creature, ones that Chakotay had selected unconsciously to represent them.

Icheb sensed when Seven started to falter and tried to scan physically through Voyager. With the aid of the Doctor they got her to sit beside Tuvok, who reached out a hand and grasped her arm and then transferred his other hand to Janeway linking the three of them together. Paris noted that three of the colours in the rainbow became more vibrant and pulsed with their combined mental energy.

When Icheb returned to the diagnostic console, it lit up without prompting from him and allowed him to track where that energy was heading.

In engineering Torres had been standing and just watching the warp core, but then she moved forward and put her hands on the blue pulsing column. The colour within steadied and added its energy to the rainbow. Vorik and Carey saw the diagnostic panels light-up and they could assess the flow and output of the combined energy. The two very different engineers looked silently at each other and continued to monitor, adding data to a PADD, Carey gave it to Marla Gilmore and she took it to the Bridge as the once open com-link was now down.

She handed this to the ECH and Paris; they both nodded their understanding and she took a return PADD with the additional information from the Bridge consoles. Ayala and Kim's consoles had also lit-up unasked both checked the scans and data that flowed across their boards. Sciences kept a check on the internal sensors to monitor those in the link. Ensign Sam Wildman was very diligent in this matter as her daughter and Neelix were part of the link also. Two more colours pulsed stronger within the rainbow as it left the ship; only one colour, the sunshine yellow was pale. It had to return to them just as vibrantly if they were to lock onto their crew mate and transport him aboard.

"You can do it, Poocuh!" Paris whispered softly, monitoring his Conn console to keep the ship at her correct angle, so sun and rain continued to make a full rainbow from their perspective.

=/\=

The darkness in the cavern suddenly became filled with the seven vibrant colours of a rainbow, pulsing around him across the cavern walls, allowing him to find his way. He smiled to himself, noting which of the colours was paler than the others, but he said and thought nothing.

_/You can not win. We are many, you are one/_ the voices raged.

_/It is belief and conviction not numbers that matter/ _he thought strongly, forcing them from getting to close to him. The Black Panther drew level with him padding on silent paws at his side, her very presence telling him not to doubt.

_/Am tired/_ he confessed to her softly.

_/We know/_ whispered a voice through his mind, it was one he recognised and yet could not name, but it was familiar and comforting.

_/We are with you/_ spoke another.

_/You are not alone/_ reminded another, all female in nature, he realised as he moved forward. He recognised some of the physical features of the cavern passage that he travelled, as if he'd walked in this place before, yet he didn't dwell on the questions that that thought and feelings raised.

_/Why not?/ _asked the Trickster's voice.

_/Questions and their answers can wait; and they __**will**__ wait/_ he said with deeper conviction than before. The Black Panther at his side rumbled in her throat and moved ahead of him as the passage narrowed slightly before widening out again.

There ahead on a raised platform lay a uniform clad body, the facial profile his own. The body lay unmoving except for the gentle rise and fall of his chest cavity. Bonds kept his limbs in place; slowly he walked forward, the Black Panther prowled round the platform on which he was laid, forcing the grey shadows to keep their distance from his physical body. The Mouse slipped from his pocket pouch onto the prone body as he stood close to it and disappeared from sight, yet he could feel her move towards those bonds, her little heart beating wildly within her small body.

He quietly turned from his prone form to face the ranging shadows, but more importantly the Coyote – the trickster, the one who'd brought him to this place.

_/You are only one. Why fight any longer. Sleep/_

_/You are wrong/_ he responded with controlled anger, feeling the Bat's persona close, her anger fuelling his own, but restrained. The Coyote looked at him, instead of the prone body.

_/Oh, why? You seemed convinced that you would not be missed earlier/ _he teased mockingly.

_/__**You**__ convinced me of that sentiment/ _he thought strongly, remembering something of the arguments that their alien guest had presented him with after being introduced to him. The colours entered the area and slowly started to form into the correct pattern of the full light spectrum.

_/You will not leave here/_

_/They have no need of **you**/_

_/__**She**__ has no need of you/_ the Coyote snarled showing his sharp fangs.

_/Maybe you are right/_ he conceded softly and yet the rainbow continued to form and grow, thus showing he hadn't let go.

_/Yes/_ their voices eager now. _/You can fill our needs/_ they sang together, their voices growing stronger convinced that he was weakening to their demands, telling him that they really needed him. The Black Panther rumbled softly, reminding him of her presence and keeping the shadows at bay. The Mouse had almost completed her task on his bonds.

_/You only need me to connect to Voyager. Then what?/_

_/You said questions could wait/ _snarled the Coyote.

_/He is stalling. We need.../_ they didn't finish the thought, a howl rose from many throats, as his prone form breathed deeper as if waking from a deep sleep. The yellow colour in the rainbow grew steadily brighter, almost drowning out the other colours and pushed up and outwards toward its goal. He knew that he was needed, perhaps not in a way he would have liked when he'd first met the woman Captain, but she did need him and him her.

The Coyote tried to distract him, but the connection was growing stronger and soon it would be complete. The Black Panther kept herself close to his side and facing the Coyote.

=/\=

Aboard Voyager those able to scan the rainbow's energy noted that the sunshine yellow was flowing fast toward the ship.

"Mr. Paris be ready; we'll only have a small window of opportunity to get him fully aboard."

"Aye," he agreed to the ECH's statement, setting about computing in new co-ordinates.

"I thought we'd have more time once the connection is made," said a worried Kim.

"We won't as the connection will be two way."

"Oh help!"

"It'll be alright, Harry," the pilot assured his friend, hiding his own misgivings about this set-up.

The yellow colour soon filled the Bridge as it followed the rainbow arch to the ship's core. Torres found herself gently being pushed away from the core; breathing fast as if she'd been running. Vorik helped her to her feet. "Lieutenant?" he questioned, as she gazed around the area.

"There's something I need to do, to remember!" she said sounding distracted as if she was still in the link, which the young Vulcan thought could be a possibility as her eyes looked glazed. The warp core was now a mix of the normal blue with the yellow pulsing through it, but the other colours staying steady up to the core's column.

"What's the energy reading?" she asked quietly, trying to focus on something familiar to ground herself.

"Neutral energy is 0.75 and climbing," noted one of her staff.

"Lieutenant?" queried Carey, as the half-Klingon woman paced the deck, muttering softly. His voice penetrated her semi-dazed state. She looked at him, thus he gave her a rundown of their current on-board status.

"Neutral energy is at 0.8," said Vorik, once his fellow engineer completed his report.

"What is it I need to do?" she pondered, feeling frustrated her anger coming through her tone.

"Lieutenant, do not let your anger get the better of you!" advised Vorik, but to her his voice sounded like Tuvok's. Thus she stood still, her gaze fixed on the bi-coloured column.

"How many colours in a rainbow?" she asked softly.

"Seven!" noted Gilmore as puzzled by their Chief's stance as was everyone else in Engineering.

"How many colours across the ship?"

"Seven," someone else answered.

"Who are noted to be in the link?"

"Seven, Janeway, Tuvok, Neelix, Naomi, you and now Chakotay," said Carey.

"Not me, I was, now it's Voyager who's in this link," she said carefully. "The one thing they really want," she added her tone firm with conviction.

"Then we should terminate it!" noted Gilmore urgently.

"No we **don't**!" her voice staying everyone from acting on the last statement.

"Lieutenant?" questioned Carey puzzled.

"We just sour the milk!" she said and grinned broadly. It took a moment for them to cotton on to what she meant and then they grinned with her as they bustled about at her urgent directions.

=/\=

On the Bridge Kim and the Transporter Chief in room one, were frustrated by the fact that their boards were still dark for the transporter control functions. Although they could see that the connection was there it wasn't completely clear.

"I can't get the transporters on-line!" he said exasperated.

"Good, Starfleet. Keep it that way!" said a voice he wasn't expecting close to him.

"Maquis?"

"No time to explain, Starfleet. Just watch that port," she told him, pointing to the currently dark area of his console.

"B'Elanna, I thought **you** were part of this link?" noted the ECH, who was scanning the trio sitting in the command area.

"I was," she acknowledged making her way to the active engineering station.

"There are still seven energy signatures in the link," noted Icheb puzzled but calm, working at the upper diagnostic console.

"That's true," she said, working her console with what she'd started in engineering. "We're going to give them what they want, but not quite the pot of **pure** gold they're after or expecting."

"Fool's gold!" queried Paris in response to her knowing grin.

"In a manner of speaking," she acknowledged him her smile mischievous.

"Tell me where and when to move and I'll do it," he advised her. She nodded her thanks and sent to his console the new co-ordinates he'd need, whilst completing her own set task.

=/\=

In the coloured cavern, his physical body stirred again his bonds now loosened yet he didn't break free. The Mouse sat washing her paws for a moment and then she leapt onto the Black Panther and vanished. He did not touch this powerful animal totem as she sat close to him; he knew the Bat was no longer part of the link, yet an echo of her presence was still with him, fooling the shadows into believing that seven were still part of the link; likewise with the Mouse. Soon the Otters returned to the sea. Again the Black Panther rumbled warningly which turned into a threatening snarl as the grey shadows tried to pressure him into giving in to sleep and thus giving them free access to Voyager's energy.

_/You are one. We are many/_ came the chant again, almost like a mantra as if they sensed their real fight with him was only just beginning.

_/Not alone/_ he responded calmly. Tired though he was he kept to the belief that Voyager and her crew would find him and that he would return home. The Eagle Owl flew silently out of sight; the She Bear and the Hart joined him standing close and visible, before fading from view.

_/They are leaving you/_ the Coyote sneered. It was the wrong choice of words and tone as they would soon discover. He needed them to be safe and yet know they were close. Suddenly the Black Panther snarled and sprang, not at the Coyote as they'd feared, but at him engulfing him.

The prone uniform clad body stirred stronger this time loosening his bonds as he flexed his arms, finally he woke-up. He sat up and turned dark eyes onto the Coyote. It was then the shadows noted that his eyes shone with the full seven colours of the rainbow; yet they barely had time to register this fact, before he vanished via a transporter effect. Howls of dismay, anger and frustration echoed around the empty rainbow lit cavern.

=/\=

Continued in Sunshine.


	3. Sunshine

**Disclaimer: **see chapter one.

**Rainbows**

Chapter Three – Sunshine.

He fully materialised on the Bridge in the command area. Janeway and the ECH helped him to stay upright as he looked about to collapse with exhaustion.

"Now, B'Elanna!" he croaked hoarsely, leaning heavily onto his physical support. Torres and Paris exchanged knowing looks; thus the pilot slowly took the ship from her current position to a new angle and then the deflector dish came on-line and fired a beam of energy toward the planet surface at his former location.

"You're giving them what they want!" noted Seven. Chakotay smiled faintly.

"Yes and no!" he said; only those supporting him heard his words and wondered at them. At her station B'Elanna shared the same enigmatic smile with him. At tactical Tuvok worked his board and programmed in the required co-ordinates, armed and locked two torpedoes on target.

"Energy build up has reached 0.91 and is rising," said Kim. "Wait it's increasing. It has jumped sharply and is now 2.15!" a gasp of surprise leaving his mouth. Chakotay watched the main view screen as the beam appeared to reflect back upwards as it reached the target point.

"Now, Tuvok!" he said quietly, yet knowing the dark Vulcan would hear him. Two torpedoes sped away from the ship. "Tom!" he said, once they'd almost reached that target; thus the pilot moved the ship again, causing the beam to lose contact with its target on the planet surface. B'Elanna shut the dish down and listened to Harry Kim's running commentary on what was happening near that surface, not that she needed it, for she could sense it.

=/\=

The grey shadows had laughed in delight when the energy they sort had first arrived, but when it suddenly jumped they became fearful, some frantic; thus in many ways fuelling the power transfer rather than stopping it. The Coyote smiled grimily.

_/You should have chosen your victim with more care/_ said a voice out of the rainbow. The animal that stared back from within the seven coloured light was one that pulsed between all the animals the grey shadows had already seen, finally it settled on a new one and the Coyote knew it was looking at the one they had really sort.

Then the place exploded under the combined power of the fear fed energy and the two torpedoes, killing all of them for good.

=/\=

"Energy build up has ceased, the cavern has gone," said Kim, his tone downbeat. Chakotay seemed to sag exhausted against his supports. The EMH shifted himself to take more of the man's weight from the Captain and thus hold the XO more upright.

"I suggest we get you to bed, Commander," he said. Without any prompting Harry Kim transported the two males to the Cmdr's quarters, leaving the Bridge strangely quiet after the tension from moments before.

Janeway looked at the view screen of the planet, puzzled by the change in its colour; it was still a semi-arid terrain but was more golden red rather than the sickly brown it had been.

"Captain, we're picking up some life-signs. Nomadic tribesmen and some larger groups scattered across the main continent," Kim said.

"They do have limited communications," Tuvok added to the Ensign's report. "We are being hailed!"

"Let's hear it," she said quietly, straightening her uniform.

=/\=Greetings travellers. How may we serve you?=/\= asked a male sounding voice, through the audio only link-up. Janeway responded with her usual standard reply, her voice tired.

=/\=Pleasure to meet you Captain Janeway. We of Arrabri welcome you. Please contact the Orbitor with any concerns whilst in our space. Thank you=/\= and signed off.

"I think I've found the 'Orbitor'," noted Icheb and displayed it on screen.

"A space station! Why didn't we detect this before?" asked Seven puzzled.

"Probably because someone didn't want us too!"

"Indeed," observed the Vulcan to Torres pointed statement. Janeway mentally shook herself and asked for reports and a full assessment of their situation before they contacted anybody in this system.

=/\=

The EMH watched over the sleeping male as he slept in his quarters, and yet he wasn't as truly asleep as the Doctor supposed or his tricorder informed him.

Once more he was standing on the shores of the sea lake, the verdant forest alive with its usual fauna behind him. The scent of wind blown salt filled his nostrils as he breathed deeply of the untainted natural air around him. This time though he knew where he was and how he'd arrived and even why he was there on the sandy beach shoreline. Shy sea otters played and frolicked near-by in the sea kelp filled tidal rocky pools, just to the right of his current position. He smiled at their antics and the playful noises they made; he patiently waited. His own spirit guide was lying somewhat behind and to the left of him in a sheltered place, warming herself in the sunshine. The warmth he felt at seeing her so relaxed was faith strengthening.

_/She'll come/_ he heard her say.

_/I know/_ he responded and turned to look out to sea again, knowing that was where she would come from. Whilst he waited he reflected on his choices of animals to represent his friends.

_/They were not solely yours/_ she admonished him, causing him to grin at her scolding tone. Watching the otters playing off-shore still reminded him of the alien male and the fact there had been two was significant; he was often larger than life expected him to be at times and yet he could be quiet and reflective – recalling the time they'd helped each other through some emotional patches, especially when called upon as councillors to the crew. [Story ref: Green Tea by Laura Schiller]

The Bat, he knew she would not thank him for that creature to represent her and yet it had epitomized her heritage – one of the things she often didn't fully embrace most of the time and yet without it she wouldn't be complete. He smiled as he recalled at all the times he'd often been on the receiving end of that volatile temper, along with just about everyone else she'd come into contact with. Only the pilot had weathered her stormy emotions to get really close to the woman and he was pleased, they suited each other.

_/You weren't at first/_ she reminded him teasingly. He glanced at her and smiled warmly in acknowledgement of her observation. He sat down cross-legged in the warm sands and thought of the Eagle Owl.

_/Strange choice/ _His only response to her comment were warm thoughts; to many the owl represented wisdom and longevity – along with the eagle – as far-sighted wisdom. Although Vulcans were long-lived and therefore had the wisdom of age and experience he didn't believe they were all-wise and all-knowing as some thought.

_/He has never claimed that/_

_/True __**he**__ has not, but some do/_ he thought softly, turning his thoughts to a small female in an adult world, what better animal than a field mouse.

_/Harvest mouse/_

_/If you say so!/ _A soft hiss was his only reply to his retort. He knew it had been a risk drawing her into the link, but she hadn't hesitated, trusting him to keep her safe.

_/You did, do not doubt/_

Next came the hinds and the Hart, how they reminded him of this child-woman; so grown-up, a full figured female with the physical strength to match, plus an extensive library of knowledge in her brain and yet with the naivety of a young child in her experiences in life; Timid, graceful and strong too. Finally the She Bear, Mother to all on Voyager.

_/She thought I was a bear/ _her tone indignant; he laughed softly at that memory, when he'd first mentioned spirit guides as councillors to the woman Captain.

_/You completed the link/ _he said gratefully, knowing that without the Black Panther he would not have completed his task.

_/You would, My Friend/_ a new voice whispered, the one he'd been waiting for. Soon he saw her swim ashore and haul herself up the beach toward him. _/You always do/_ she added confidently, moving her large bulk to sit beside him. _/Finish your tasks/_ she clarified and started to dig in the sand, flinging most of it over him, as she did what nature urged her to do. _/You are sitting next to my usual spot/_ she admonished him playfully as she continued digging. Laughing lightly he moved and tried to assist her, but had to leave her to it as he was only getting mouthfuls of sand for his meagre efforts. She laid her many soft shelled eggs into the dug hole, before covering them over.

He and the She Wolf stood and watched as she lumbered back down the beach and into the sea lake, until the waves finally hid her from view.

_/You are privileged/_ the She Wolf said quietly. He sighed deeply in grateful acknowledgement of what he'd just witnessed; soon after true deep untroubled sleep claimed him.

=/\=

Janeway and her Away Team arrived at the 'Orbitor' space station about an hour after they'd contacted the wheel-shaped station and received a formal invite from the Administrator, who had appeared a little too eager for their ship to dock. Janeway had informed the Lion-like male that the station's docking ports did not have the right specifications for their vessel, hoping that they'd not scanned too deeply around Voyager; thus her group had arrived in the shuttle 'Cochrane' rather than use the Delta Flyer. Also the Starfleet uniformed personnel were a foursome, consisting of Janeway, Paris, Neelix and Harry Kim, Lt. Ayala – whom Tuvok had advised to take with them – was absconded within the shuttle at the station's main docking bay.

The place appeared to be the usual sort of staging post for traders like most space stations they had encountered on their travels, yet there was something here that made the four wary. Although the people who mingled about were humanoid, they had animal-like persona and went around in pairs for the most part.

"All these people are in couples of male and female," Kim informed them softly, his tricorder working busily, as he paced behind the Captain, with Neelix and Paris making up a diamond shape and thus shielding what the young Ensign was doing.

"Is that a stripped person?" Neelix asked, pointing with his voice.

"Zebras," said Tom quietly, eying the pair as their foursome walked the route they'd been advised by the Station staff. The couple were certainly striking, with tall black and white stripped manes and horse-like tails that showed beneath their short sleeveless tunic shaped attire, thus revealing their zebra stripped skin in all its glory. Boots covered their human shaped feet.

"I believe that group of six are leopards," noted Janeway. Like the Zebras they were dressed to show off their mottled skin to its full effect, tails weaving to and fro like those of an annoyed cat, pointed ear tuffs standing well above their fur patterned heads. They also noted two peacock-like persons, their attire as colourful as a peacock tail; otherwise most of the other persons wore the non-descript attire associated with space traders.

"Those two look like hawks," noted Tom Paris of the couple with feathers for hair and their noses beak-like and dressed in leather, in the case of the male of the pair his jacket appeared to be shaped like wing feathers across his shoulders.

"Ah! Captain," spoke the voice of the Administrator, drawing their attention away from the crowd to the Lion-like male, who was dressed in an open fronted long flowing robe over breeches and leather boots. Beside him stood a golden female dressed in more modest female styled attire and whose eyes raked over Janeway leaving the human woman feeling cold, yet she smiled warmly at the male. He gave her his arm and led her toward the hub of the station. Meanwhile Paris fell in step with the female; thus Neelix and Kim brought up the rear. Janeway could feel the female's eyes boring into her back as she was escorted by the kingly male.

They were ushered into a private office come reception room that was lavishly furnished; it reflected the tastes of those who inhabited the place. The Starfleet four sat down at their host's direction together and opposite the two lions. The female of the pair sat close to the male in an almost protective manner; thus what was said next shouldn't have come as a surprise to Janeway.

"Do you have a mate?" the female asked sharply, looking directly at Janeway. "I realise none of these with you are; except maybe you," she added turning her hard expression onto the young pilot.

"I do have a mate, but it isn't the Captain," he acknowledged firmly.

"Just as well the commander isn't here!" whispered Neelix.

"Or Ayala," added Kim softly. Janeway silently agreed with their sentiments.

"Well, Captain?" the woman asked pointedly. Janeway had been recalling what her friend had told her when she visited him briefly before leaving Voyager:

"_Make sure you have an even number of persons with you at all times," he told her. "When asked a direct question, do not answer with a straight 'yes' or 'no'. Clarify your comment briefly and firmly," he said._

"_How do you know?" she'd asked, but he'd only smiled softly and the EMH had asked her to leave so his patient could rest, thus her question would have to wait._

"No I do not have a mate," she said clearly. "Nor am I looking for one," she added. The disappointed expression on the males face was quite pointed, but it was the female's response that startled them. She smiled broadly with a beaming and genuine smile.

"You may go!" she said dismissively to the Administrator; he left with a sullen expression across his lion-like features. "Your males may stay or they may be taken as mates by others; and something tells me you'll not want to loose them!" the female said with a wide relaxed grin.

Janeway felt herself relax a little, yet not totally at the females' words and acknowledged her with a brief thank you.

"You must have many questions to ask of us, as we have of you," the female began in a more relaxed and friendly manner. "We monitored your ship's entry into our system and although we did try to contact you, you appeared not to see or hear us. May I ask why?"

"If you had been monitoring us you should know the answer to your own question," Janeway countered calmly. Their hostess grinned in reply for a moment and then her features became grim.

"We could only assume you'd been commandeered by the Shadra," her tone foreboding.

"Maybe. What do I call you?"

"Apologies, I'm forgetting my manners. I am El-sa," bowing her head.

"The lioness?!" queried Tom softly; the woman's face became amused, especially at the exchanged looks between captain and pilot.

"Who or what are the Shadra?" Neelix asked his natural curiosity coming to the fore. "That is if you don't mind my asking," he added politely. El-sa laughed enjoying the Talaxian's funny ways; she sighed deeply a minute later as if steeling herself for the telling.

"The Shadra are powerful beings that live on the planet surface. At one time they were physical beings, much like yourselves, but not anymore. Something in their past reduced them to living energy beings; energy that still seeks ways to return to a fully physical existence," she explained.

"Not anymore," Kim whispered quietly, only his fellows heard him. For at that moment an aide in the shape of a tigress entered, looking very concerned, she handed El-sa a padd – like device who scanned it quickly.

"You are sure?" she demanded.

"Yes very sure," said Tigress and gave their four visitors a quick glance.

"This is somewhat good news," noted El-sa. "But how?"

"You had better ask that of your guests," Tigress said firmly. Blinking in surprise El-sa the lioness stared at Janeway and her three crewmen.

"The last remaining Shadra are gone," she said in a somewhat shocked voice. "Can you explain their demise?" She and Tigress waited expectantly. Before Janeway could formulate a reply El-sa spoke again.

"No-one has ever defeated the Shadra successfully and lived to tell the tale; let alone wipe them out," she explained, her golden eyes wide in shocked surprise.

Tigress just watched them cautiously.

"It wasn't by choice that we came here," she began carefully, realising what she said next would be crucial to hers and her crew's well-being. "A traveller asked for a ride home and in effect abducted a member of my crew," deciding the simple truth would be enough for now.

"That is their usual tactic," El-sa confirmed, still eying the four with something akin to awe.

"It was whilst trying to find our missing crew member that we found a way to defeat them and rescue our crew member," she informed quietly. The three males stayed quiet as if to confirm her words, although they knew it had been a more complex problem than was stated, but they were warily of revealing too much to these people.

"You must have a very powerful ship to overcome the Shadra, Captain," noted Tigress her eyes narrowing, confirming their need to keep quiet as to details.

"No; just a very dedicated and resilient crew, who know how to get the job done," she responded, quiet pride in her tone. El-sa and Tigress exchanged pointed looks and smiled, putting the four on edge, wondering what would come next. Harry Kim's tricorder was still busily working and transmitting all his data back to the shuttle and Lt. Ayala.

=/\=

Continued in Pot of Gold.


	4. Pot of Gold?

Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

**Rainbows**

Chapter Four – Pot of Gold.

B'Elanna Torres was busily going over her list of jobs to do and what they required to keep Voyager's engines running smoothly and other general maintenance, that she didn't register the male's presence until he spoke:

"Anything I can help with?"

"Chakotay?!" she snapped startled. Not giving him a chance to apologise she thrust her PADD at him. "Not unless you can conjure up these?" It contained a list of all the spare parts and other things she felt they needed to keep the ship flying.

"I thought Janeway was doing business on the station for these," he said puzzled.

"Only for those general items we need, Chakotay," she sighed softly. "These will have to come from another source," watching him read the list again. "I don't think these people would know a stem bolt from a spindle bearing," her voice sounding exasperated.

"Just one question though; I thought we replicated most of these things," he said puzzled, having noted that instead of deuterium they required many physical items to keep the ship in smooth working order.

"Normally we do, Chakotay. But there are just something's you can't replicate, or no starship would need to put into Space dock for supplies and maintenance," she explained with a soft sigh. "Even in the Maquis we had to replace our environmental systems with any newish ones we could salvage from other sources," she reminded him.

"So that's what took you and Ayala so long in that scrap yard?!"

"I was very surprised that the ship we discovered still had the amount of Chrysotile we needed at the time. Voyager has been in grey-mode one too many times for my peace of mind over the last few months; so spare parts will come in handy. Plus the fact Janeway doesn't want these people to know what we really need," sighing again, looking pensive.

"So what you're really saying is, that we need a scrap yard?" grinning at her.

"Yeah! Know of one near-by?" she asked, not expecting a positive reply.

"I might!" a mischievous twinkle in his dark eyes; He urged her to join him on a little jaunt to find their own pot of gold. He also advised her to change out of uniform. It was the first thing she'd noticed about him, when he'd arrived into her domain, his casual yet smart and practical attire, which possibly attributed to his relaxed manner. Thus they went via her quarters where she changed into a similar casual and practical outfit, ready for any rough terrain.

"Thinking of going planet side?" she teased quietly as they made their way to the transporter.

"Yes," was his monosyllabic reply startling her. "You are excused Ensign Campbell," he said on entering the area to the young woman on duty there. She nodded to him and left. "Ayala will be joining us on the planet surface," he informed her as he worked the console.

"You're serious!" she noted puzzled by his attitude, stepping up onto the transporter platform.

"Very," he acknowledged and joined her.

=/\=

Three people materialised together close to the co-ordinates of the underground settlement they'd detected whilst searching for their First Officer, when he'd disappeared with their alien guest. The third person was Ayala who like his former Maquis was dressed casually rather than in his usual gold uniform.

"Chakotay sent me a message to dress this way and where and when to meet you both," he told her in answer to her puzzled expression. "The shuttle Cochrane is sealed with my special code, that only Tuvok can unlock," he added with a grin, handing her a wrist light one of three he'd brought with him.

"All will be revealed soon, B'Elanna. Patience," he said with an amused smile. Torres looked from one male to the other frustrated. "You'll do," Chakotay said and led the way forward.

The tunnel that they followed was almost natural looking, yet as they ventured further in it became more apparent that it was man made. Torres watched Chakotay as he led the way in a confident manner, his wrist light steady and clear cutting into the dark gloom of the dusty unused passageway. It made her wonder if he was 'her' Chakotay.

It wasn't long before they came to a familiar looking part of the underground settlement; it could have been any Federation installation if it weren't for the fact that they were in the Delta Quadrant.

"Got your shopping list?" Chakotay asked the Chief Engineer casually. The look she shot him had him grinning at her, as he knew full well that she did. "Then I suggest you start shopping!"

"You idioms are getting as bad as Tom's," she quipped sourly, moving towards a likely looking storage area.

"Must be the company I've been keeping all these years!" he bantered back. Ayala laughed, as he too checked the area, still feeling on edge, especially by the fact that the lighting was still working and flicked on as they entered the different areas.

"Creepy!" he muttered, sensing the silence around him. "I almost feel this place should be bustling with people," he said quietly, looking up at his friends who were still within visual range.

"I agree," Chakotay sighed, his expression pensive. Torres echoed their concerns silently.

"Then I suggest we stay close," she muttered reaching out to activate an obvious door opening panel. The blue triangle lit up at her touch and the door swished aside, lights flickered on inside.

At first all three stood there and then shrugging her shoulders B'Elanna went inside disappearing from view. The two boys waited in the deep silence in the open corridor; a moment later she reappeared and asked a pointed question.

"You coming or not?" her tone so familiar that they grinned, feeling the tension ease as they followed her into the room.

=/\=

Meanwhile on the 'Orbitor' Janeway was rapidly coming to the conclusion that El-sa and Rana the Tigress were stalling as their negotiations for the items on Neelix's list had run into a solid wall of indifference and it bothered her; for the longer they stayed close to this station the more vulnerable she felt for her ship and crew. She also felt a pressing need to contact Voyager, but how to do so without being rude, watching the females discussing each item on the PADD huddled together over it. Most of the items were food stuffs and general cooking items, things that should not be hard to find anywhere, but these two, seemed almost puzzled by the list.

"Neelix keep them distracted," she said sharply, having come to a decision.

"About what?" he lamented, feeling at a loss of to how to deal with these animal-like females.

"I think I know how," piped up Paris softly and stood up, which immediately gained a sharp and wary response from the two females, their eyes narrowing. It silently confirmed to Janeway her thoughts that Voyager was their prize and they were stalling for some reason.

"Nice place you have here," he said pleasantly, pulling Neelix to his feet as he passed the Talaxian to join the Lioness and Tigress at another part of the room.

"Yes indeed. You must have a very interesting existence here," Neelix added catching on to what Paris was saying. Thus the pilot and chef kept the two female's attention away from the Captain and Kim.

"I didn't think I'd see the day Neelix would be lost for words!" Kim commented, yet his expression did not match his words, for he – like Janeway – was worried, his tricorder telling him something was not right. Janeway sighed and tapped her com-badge.

=/\=Voyager here Captain=/\= came a male voice that almost sounded like Tuvok, in response to her hail.

"How are things?" she asked cautiously her defences up.

"Reasonable." That confirmed her nagging suspicions, for if Tuvok had been human this reply would have been understandable, but in a Vulcan – never; even Kim shot her an alarmed look, before fiddling with his tricorder, checking the com-line was clear to Voyager.

"I need you to use the Heisenberg compensators," she said carefully.

"Please repeat," said the voice puzzled.

"Tuvok wouldn't need to ask that!" Kim whispered, stating the obvious and still working his tricorder to keep a clear signal to Voyager.

"The Heisenberg compensators; I require you to use it, Now!" she said strongly.

=/\=Understood=/\= came the one word response from a voice they knew very well. First Janeway and Kim vanished and then Tom, Neelix and Rana followed, leaving El-sa roaring in frustration.

=/\=

"Heisenberg compensators!" the Vulcan queried mildly once they'd all fully materialised.

"They worked didn't they?" Paris said, grateful to be back on Voyager. Rana – Tigress stared around her stunned, held between the pilot and Talaxian.

"Where...where am I?" she stammered, eyes wide in fright.

"Take her to sickbay, Mr. Paris," her tone very pointed. He nodded understanding what she required of the Doctor with their 'guest'. She waited until the group of three had left before turning to her Security Chief, her expression demanding a full report from him.

"It appeared that the Station was blocking all transmissions out from the station, but not to it. Seven managed to lock onto Mr. Kim's tricorder and through their co-ordinated efforts we picked up about the Heisenberg compensators!" he said, his eyebrow lifting on the last two words. Janeway relaxed and smiled.

"Computer location of Cmdr. Chakotay?" she asked.

#Cmdr. Chakotay is not aboard this vessel#

"What? Where is he?" she demanded.

=/\=

The man in question was busy helping Torres and Ayala move some tetraburnium panels that would assist in future repairs to the Delta Flyer, to an area marked by three transporter markers so that Campbell could transport the items within aboard via the larger cargo transporters and store them in that area of the ship.

=/\=Commander Voyager will be out of the sensor shadow in a few minutes=/\=

"Acknowledged, Ensign; Call us again when the two stations can't detect you."

=/\=Aye, Commander=/\= signing off.

"You've been planning this!" B'Elanna accused him.

"In a manner of speaking," he assented. "Anything else you require for our continued up-keep?"

Torres didn't respond for something in his manner bothered her, yet for the moment she said nothing as they continued exploring the deserted underground city, whilst waiting for Campbell to contact them. The pile of spare parts for the ship and even Neelix's galley grew within the transport defined area.

"Something wrong, B'Elanna?" Ayala asked half an hour later, alerting their friend and commander to her wary and searching gaze. His expression repeated the vocal question.

"Yes; **You**, Chakotay. Are you who I see?" she asked pointedly.

"Of course he is," Ayala said firmly, frowning puzzled at the female.

"I want to hear that from **him**!"

"You think I'm a Shadra, don't you?" he said carefully, having gleaned the alien's name and something about them from the information Ayala had given them from the conversation that Janeway had had with El-sa on the 'Orbitor'. Torres nodded silent under his dark eyed gaze.

"Why do you ask, B'Elanna?" his tone mild, it stalled Ayala from saying anything as he'd heard that quiet tone before, the tattooed male's dark eyes still fixed on the half-Klingon woman.

"Your knowledge and ease in this place," she told him, her own eyes challenging him.

"Yes, I know this place," he said softly. "During my spirit walk here, I learnt what they knew."

"You communicated with them?"

"No, Ayala, because that would imply two way conversing and that's what **you** – B'Elanna Torres believe," he said mildly, still only looking at the female. She nodded feeling suddenly shy under his intense gaze. Quietly he smiled as if sensing her unease with him. "My thoughts were and are my own. In fact I kept my mind blank of important and personal information in my surface thoughts, I just focused on the immediate task. They on the other hand were not so careful with their information. That is how I know about some of what we'd find here," he explained gently.

"Like a Vulcan mind-meld?" Ayala queried.

"Not quite," looking at the male and thus giving Torres a breather from his dark gaze. "It is the nearest analogy of what happened," he conceded. "Satisfied?" Chakotay asked softly, turning again to the young woman.

"Maybe!" giving him a quiet smile.

=/\=Voyager to Away Team. Ready when you are, Sir=/\=

"Acknowledged; Next batch is ready to go."

"Aye, Sir." The pile of goods within the markers vanished with the usual blue transporter effect. Campbell's voice stopped them a moment later. "Captain is looking for you, Sir."

"Understood, Ensign; we've one more thing to do here. Keep us informed."

=/\=Aye, Sir=/\=

"Chakotay, what other thing do we have to do?" her tone sharp. "Surely we should report in to Janeway."

"Maybe, B'Elanna," he said turning away and making for the computer room they'd discovered in their exploration of the city. "Don't you want to know about these Shadra?" he asked his tone a challenge, looking over his shoulder at the pair. Quickly they followed his lead.

=/\=

Said Captain was striding towards Sickbay, following a request from the EMH to meet with him. She had set Seven and Kim the task of evaluating his tricorder readings from the 'Orbitor' so they had some idea of what was going on. Tuvok had returned to the Bridge to look for Chakotay and to instruct Ayala to return with the shuttle, without arousing too much suspicion. It had struck her as odd that for a Space station it had been rather short of any specific space traffic, especially shuttles for transport to and from the planet below. She was hoping they'd get some positive answers from their accidental guest.

"Doctor," Janeway said on entering Sickbay.

"Leave me alone!" Rana growled at the EMH, her hands clawing out towards him, yet he managed to dodge her. Paris watched from outside the main surgical bay, whilst the two literally prowled round the secure area.

"Tom?" she asked coming up beside him at the monitor console.

"When she saw all this medical equipment she yowled fiercely and tried to run. Instead of going out the way we came in she made for this bay, so the Doc set up the force-field," he explained whilst taking note of the readings in front of him. "We've set the bay's sensors for deep scans so we can assess her nature; but we have as yet to get close to her," he said watching the EMH avoid her lunging at him.

"What have the scans revealed so far?" she asked, her eyes watching the two dance around each other.

"Only that she's humanoid, very fit, extremely agile and very vocal. But it's her initial responses to certain medical instruments that have been interesting."

"Oh!" turning to look at the young male pilot-cum-medic.

"That she's undergone some sort of genetic enhancement, or so the Doctor thinks."

A yowl of protest from Rana stalled her asking any questions about this new information. The Tiger-woman slumped to the floor at the EMH's feet, a hypo-spray in his hand, yet there was no triumphant expression on his face.

"Computer, cancel security force-field," he ordered. The field sparked a moment, showing that it was no longer active. "Mr. Paris, let's get her on the bio-bed," sounding resigned. Tom silently nodded, joining the Chief Medic within the surgical bay. Janeway stayed and assisted also.

=/\=

"Slave traders?" queried Torres. They had managed to access some of the settlement's computer archives about the planet, the underground city and its people – The Shadra. The information was extensive and very revealing, once they'd translated it into their language.

"They were more than that, B'Elanna. They created their own slaves," Chakotay pointed out and showed her the visual files of the genetic results.

"Animal people!" noted Ayala, recognising two types, Zebras and Leopards. "Those two were on the 'Orbitor'," he said quietly, having seen a group of them enter the area of the station where the shuttle was docked, after Janeway and her entourage had left.

"How many did they produce?" she asked quietly, finding it hard to form her words.

"According to these files, zebras, leopards, lions, hawks, peacocks, tigers and even oxen. Numbers aren't recorded only the types," he said reading from the file displayed in front of him on the active computer monitor.

"But why?" turning puzzled eyes to him.

"I think I may have found something," Ayala said from a second console; thus his friends joined him, where his screen showed a current visual of part of the planet just over the hills from the settlement.

"That looks like an open cast mine."

"It is and they're still working it," Chakotay informed them, having noted the movement of humanoids and equipment.

"What are they mining?"

"According to these readings," he paused to check what the data revealed. "Tritanium ore."

"Our pot of gold!" whispered Torres.

=/\=

Their accidental guest had been transferred via internal transport and whilst under sedation, from Sickbay to secure quarters. The Doctor poured over the results of his thorough examination of the Tigress in his lab, with both Janeway and Paris assisting him.

"These readings can't be right, can they?" Paris asked.

"I'm afraid they are, Mr. Paris," said the EMH, firmly.

"But why? To create a hybrid of animal and humanoid! For what reason?"

"Maybe we should ask Rana."

"I doubt she'll give you any constructive answers, Captain. She is a produce of her genetic engineering. She can reason on her immediate needs for her day to day survival, but as to contemplating her future or past she can no more tell you or herself than a domestic cat could talk," he explained. "Genetic engineering is a risky field; it is why Starfleet has outlawed it."

"People still try though as Rana and her contemporaries on the 'Orbitor' prove," Janeway said.

"As Hybrids could they re-produce?" Tom asked tentively.

"No," was the sharp reply from the EMH. "They would revert back to either parent. I wouldn't like to hazard a guess as to the outcome as to which is the stronger parent," he said carefully; although his tone had been neutral his expression was very telling.

=/\=Bridge to Captain. We're receiving a call from the Commander=/\=

"Put it through here, Tuvok," she said urgently, making for the Doctor's office com-link. "Commander."

=/\=Captain. We've discovered some very telling evidence here=/\= he began carefully.

"Same here," she acknowledged him. "Want to explain?"

"Not over an open com-line, Captain," he paused a moment as if weighing his next words. "Tritanium ore."

Silence greeted those two words. Janeway stared at him via the video link-up.

=/\=We'll see you soon. Out=/\= and cut the link.

"So that's why!" whispered Tom Paris.

Janeway looked at him her expression agreeing with him and yet she couldn't quite feel that confident that they had all the pieces to the puzzle of what was going on at Arrabri.

=/\=

Chakotay looked at his companions a moment once he'd closed the com-line and then took out his tricorder and set it to download all the data from the computer memory core. Ayala did the same with his at another console within the area, whilst Torres rechecked the information of what was going on at the open cast mine.

"Where are they sending it?" she asked softly.

"I don't think they're sending it anywhere, B'Elanna," Chakotay said having joined her.

"Oh?" looking at him intently.

"In the Koori language from New South Wales, Australia, Arrabri means 'a meeting place at the base of a mountain.'"

"And that's the mountain?" Ayala queried, pointing to the mining area on the monitor screen.

"Maybe. How many shuttles or transport ships did you see at the 'Orbitor'?" the tattooed male asked quickly.

"None. Which I thought was strange at the time," he admitted.

"You're saying someone collects it?" she asked carefully, realising the implications of that thought.

"Yes. The other thing missing here is an ore processing plant."

"Unless that's on another part of the planet!" both of his friends shook their heads. "When's the next pick-up due?" Ayala asked dreading the reply.

"Considering your easy access to the space station, I'd say soon."

"Something tells me it's time to pack up shop and leave!"

"And you say my idioms are bad?" he said, lightening the tension, Torres grinned at him. They shutdown all the consoles, picked up all their own equipment and made for the main entrance to the underground complex.

"How do we get back to Voyager?" Torres asked, once they were back on the planet surface, realising the ship would be close to the two stations again by now.

"I set the shuttle's computer to scan for my com-badge, it should..." he halted as the transporter effect surrounded the three and finished his sentence with a grin once they'd fully materialised on the shuttle.

"Good thinking," Chakotay said making for the pilot's chair. He looked up at the main forward view ports and saw the animal people first hand. The Zebra man stared at him surprised and backed away from the space vehicle, calling to his mate. Ayala and Torres joined their friend up front, causing more of the people to move away from the shuttle.

"As hybrids' they can't reproduce, can they?"

"No," he said sharply. The three got down to the business of prepping the shuttle for the flight back to Voyager. The problem could be with the Station's Admin control, but they were allowed to leave with no questions asked or fuss.

"Strange!" said Ayala having settled himself next to Chakotay.

"Not so strange if they're expecting visitors," noted B'Elanna. Chakotay said nothing feeling that there was a missing piece of the puzzle to find, as he piloted the shuttle out of the 'Orbitor' and across the short distance of open space to Voyager's shuttlebay.

=/\=

The next morning Janeway called a meeting for the senior staff; she watched as her staff filed in some like Paris still chewing his breakfast or drinking a mug of coffee. Chakotay was the last to arrive; he looked as if he'd slept in his outfit, as it appeared a little crumpled in places. He sat beside and whispered softly.

"I fell asleep in the chair," he informed her with a soft smile; she smiled at him in return.

"Breakfast?" she queried quietly. He just shrugged his shoulders in a non-committed way, as the room had grown quiet around them. "Right, let's get started," she said turning her attention forward to face the others. "What have we discovered here at Arrabri?"

"Our guest is in secure quarters at present and prowling around. She should be returned to the 'Orbitor'," Tuvok informed in his usual manner.

"I'd like to talk to her before you do," a soft quiet male voice said. His words startled her, yet she kept her surprise hidden and just looked at him with a silent question.

"She might not want to talk to you, Commander," said the EMH.

"I think she might," he responded calmly.

"Is there something you're not telling us, Chakotay?"

"No, B'Elanna," his dark gaze telling her they'd been over that thought.

"If you think she'll talk to you, Commander, you may," Janeway said, her tone stalling anymore talk about their guest. "You said something about Tritanium ore."

"There's an open cast mine on the planet surface not far from the underground city of the Shadra," he informed them.

"Tritanium! Is there a processing plant?" Kim asked.

"No!" Chakotay responded. "Since there are no transport space ships or shuttles at the 'Orbitor'; we can only assume someone comes to collect it."

"Question is who and when?" noted Paris.

"How about the Borg? Don't they use Tritanium?" asked Neelix, looking at Seven.

"Yes, Neelix; The Borg assimilate what they require, they do not make it." The Talaxian shrugged apologetically, as if saying it was just a thought. Janeway smiled with him, for she'd been thinking along the same lines.

"Tritanium can be used for other things besides building space faring vessels," noted Kim. "Body armour is one use I could think of. Borg or Hirogen uses body armour," he added carefully.

"That's true, Mr. Kim, but something tells me we'll be meeting someone new." Her words fell into the heavy silence within the room, all of them thinking this is one scenario they didn't need to meet just now, if at all.

=/\=

Chakotay was making his way with Ayala to see Rana the Tigress. Earlier the meeting with the senior staff had broken up after Janeway's open revelations about a new threat and he'd had breakfast with Neelix, leaving the Captain to deal with ship business in her Ready Room.

"Do you really believe this Tiger will talk to you?" Ayala asked as they came up to their destination.

"I hope so," Chakotay said quietly, nodding to the security detail on duty, who opened the door for the pair.

"Tiger in more than just looks!" whispered Ayala, as the female growled at their presence. Chakotay stepped further into the room allowing the light to reveal his face fully. He had decided not to change into his uniform, thus he was still attired in his casual outfit that is some way almost matched the Tigress' form of dress.

"Rana," his voice commanding; the female stopped and whirled round to face him. Her eyes went wide in startled surprise and shock; she meekly walked towards him.

"Master," she said standing at a respectful distance from him, her golden eyes gazing at him with admiration and not fear.

"What can you tell me?" he asked his tone of voice quiet. Ayala was surprised to here that tone from his commander and friend once more, yet he stayed still and quiet keeping his face neutral.

"Ohanzee comes when the ore is released," Rana informed him.

"Ohanzee casts a long shadow does he not?" he asked carefully, Rana nodded her head quietly, yet her tail tip flicked from side to side, revealing her true feelings about the matter. "Does **he** fill your needs?"

"Sometimes if the ore is good; most times Ohanzee takes but does not give," her tail twitched wildly as if getting ready to spring at her prey.

"I see and the Shadra?" keeping direct eye contact with this tiger-woman.

"They gave us life, but now they are gone," her tone matter-of-fact rather than regretful.

"The Shadra provided your daily needs; from where?" Rana pointed out the replicator within the room. The fact that she knew what it was and used for did not surprise him as much as it did Ayala. She watched as Chakotay walked over to it and produced a large plate of his favourite fungi along with ribbon pasta, the whole dish steaming with a mouth watering smell. "You like?" he queried softly. Rana smiled, but shook her head. "What would you like?"

"Meat stew please," adding the last word almost as an after-thought.

"Fine; Computer recycle current dish for Beef stew standard Earth recipe," he ordered, returning the pasta dish to the replicator slot. Rana's eyes lit-up as the new dish appeared, the rich gravy smell making her lick her lips several times as the plate was handed to her, along with a spoon.

"You may partake," he informed her.

"Thank you," her tone sincere. She sat down on the room's floor, to eat the stew in a polite manner.

"Strange," whispered Ayala to Chakotay. "I would have thought she'd eat it raw."

"She's a pussy cat, Ayala. Not a wild beast who is required to catch her own prey." He had read the Doctor's report on Rana and although the Medic was correct in some aspects of her mental abilities as to how much she'd know about the world outside of her immediate sphere; as to who and what she was, the Tigress had a better grasp of that than the EMH believed, and who was possibly responsible for her existence, if not her continued existence.

Suddenly the warning klaxon's sounded and the Vulcan's voice called the crew to 'Yellow Alert'.

"Ohanzee!" Rana said her golden eyes wide in true fear.

=/\=

Continued in Shadows.

**Lizzy74656: **I hadn't planned for the story to go any further, but I fear the Shadra haven't finished with Voyager and her crew just yet.


End file.
